Stirrup.



J. HARMON.

STIBRUP.

APPLICATION I'ILED un 1. 1909.

Patented Jan.4, 1910.

IIQ. 2.

Wii-wow b MMM:

JOI-IN HARMON, OF OKEY, OHIO.

STIR RUP.

Specficaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Application filed May 1, 1909. Serial No. 493,364.

To all whom Iiz may concem:

Be it known that I, JoI-IN HARMON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Okey, in the county of Lawrence and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Stirrups, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention is an improved safety stirrup having means for freeingthe foot in the event that the rider falls or is thrown from his horseso as to prevent the rider from being dragged and injured and the saidinvention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement ofdevices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a perspective view of a safetystirrup constructed in accord-ance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a partial elevation ofone side of the stirrup. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of thecranlr rest and of one of the supporting Spring hangers therefor.

For the purposes of this specification, an ordinary stirrup is hereshown provided with my improved safety devices.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a revoluble roller l which ispivotally mounted at its ends as at 2, between the sides of the stirrupa at a point near the front side of the stirrup and somewhat below thebar Z) thereof. On the sides of the stirrup are Secured the upperportions of a pair of downwardly and rearwardly inclining Spring hangers3, the lower ends of which extend below the rear side of the stirrup andare inclined later-ally so that their opposing faces converge rearwardlyof the stirrup. A tread f is disposed at the rear of the stirrup and isprovided at its ends with downwardly extending crank arms 5 presentingoppositely extending spindles or journals 6 which have their bearings inopenings in the lower end portions of said Spring hangers and areprovided with cams 7 which are fast thereto and bear against the innersurfaces of the spring hangers so that the tension of said Springhangers on said cams causes the latter to normally maintain the tread inthe elevated position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, immediately to therear of the stirrup and at a point above the bottom thereof.

Then the stirrup is in use the foot of the rider bears on the tread 4 asWell as on the bottom of the stirrup. Should the rider fall, the pull onthe stirrup draws the roller 1 forwardly over the toe of his shoe andthe tread 4 is Inoved rearwardly against the tension of the Springhangers as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 so as to free the footfrom the stirrup. The SpringI hangers and cams then immediately coact torestore the tread to its initial normal position, owing,` to the Springefl'ect. produced by the action of the hangers 3, due to the twistof thelower portions of the hangers as shown in F ig. 3, and the action of thecams 7 bearing upon the lower portions of the hangers more strongly uponone side than upon the other.

7 hat is claimed is A stirrup having spring hanger elements extendingdownwardly and rearwardly from the sides thereof, said Spring hangerelements having` rearwardly converging opposing faces, a tread having`pivot elements and having` their bearings in said hanger elements andcams on said tread coacting with said spring hanger elements to normallymaintain the tread in elevated position at the rear of the stirrup andabove the bottom thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my Signature in presence of two witnesses.

JoHN HARnoN WVtnesses:

T. H. EAKMAN, JOHN F. ELLIs.

